Grunting, I pull my old, massive suitcase out of the taxi cab and into the exterior of the Narita airport.

Kurisu studies it, clearly skeptical. "What IS that?" She says, acting if she's looking at an unidentified specimen.

I take a breath as I lug it closer. "Use your eyes. It's a suitcase."

She shifts her eyes to the side. "Maybe it WAS a suitcase…"

"We can't all have things as nice as you, Celeb Seventeen." I reply, glancing to her neat roller suitcase.

Kurisu shakes her head and yawns. "Haven't heard THAT one in a while."

I can't help but mirror that yawn. It's about 5am, and the morning sun mocks us as we prepare for the rigors of intercontential travel. We spent the whole previous day packing and preparing, but really… nothing can prepare your body for this type of ordeal.

Goodbye, huge hotel bed… I'll miss you. But alas, you are nothing without Kurisu anyway.

We head inside together to escape the morning light, not speaking much. We're both too tired. Despite the how early it is, or perhaps because of it, the airport is bustling with activity.

Suddenly I feel an incessant buzzing in my pocket. It's been going like that for a few minutes, but since I've got other things to focus on today, I was ignoring it.

I pull out my phone and see who's been spamming me.

From: Unknown Number

Subject: Goodbye & Goodluck

Hey, this is Moeka Kiryu, from the CRT shop. In case you didn't get the last message… goodbye and goodluck! PS: Mayrui gave me this number. Hope that's okay.

It feel strange to have someone who used to be my hated enemy wishing me well. But Mokea and I on this timeline don't have much of a relationship, to the extent of active avoidance. I don't even know how she knew I was leaving today. So why…?

"Tuturu~!"

Do my ears deceive me!?

I gasp, dropping my suitcase with a thud.

"Oh my god." Kurisu mutters.

Waiting before us, standing in a tight group in the middle of the airport, is the entire lab membership.

Mayuri is at the front, as cheerful as ever despite the ungodly hour. Faris is with her, still dressed in her maid outfit, putting on her best smile. Daru and Yuki are behind them, and Daru looks half asleep while he rubs his eyes. Even the shyest of the bunch, little Ruka and the much taller Moeka, are there, hiding behind their hands or phones respectively.

"Guys…" I say slowly. "My loyal lab members… what are you even doing here?!"

Faris jumps forward. "We wanted to see you off, nyah!" She holds up her "paws" and puts on a pouty expression. "We're gonna miss you so much, Koyama!"

Everyone crowds around, saying their goodbyes.

"Be sure to call! And I'll send you nice things in the mail!" Mayuri is full of ideas as always.

Ruka creeps forward, avoiding eye contact. "Um… be sure to come visit the shrine when you get back, okay? Don't forget us…"

I'm overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. Maybe it's the exhaustion, but I feel terribly sentimental.

I really am lucky. I would have been a fool to let fate take this away from me.

"Hey, everyone!" Yuki calls out. "Let's get a picture!"

We crowd together so we can all fit into the frame of a phone, but I notice that Kurisu is standing in front of us and not squeezing in.

I pull away from the group. "What's wrong, assistant?" I ask.

"Oh!" she seems flustered. "I just thought… I could take the photo for you."

I raise my voice. "Absolutely not!" I yell. "You're a lab member too, through and through! You must be present as well."

I approach a random young man who was making the mistake of gawking at us. "You!" I demand, "Would you do us the honor of taking this photo?"

He nods, flustered, and I hand him my phone before rushing back over to get into the photo. Since I'm so tall, I stand in front of the girls and next to Daru, with Kurisu standing in front of me.

Maybe I should do a mad scientist pose…

"Got it!" The man has already finished snapping the photo.

Oh well.

I take the phone from him, and everyone draws in close to see the photo.

"Aww! We all look so cute!" Mayrui gushes. "Be sure to forward this us!"

I stand for a moment and look closely at the tiny, grainy image of myself and all my friends.

Thanks, guys. Thanks for everything.

Kurisu suddenly pulls away in alarm. "Dang, Okabe, times up. We really should get moving."

"You're right, assistant." I reply, and the group begins to break up. "Everyone, look after the lab while where gone! I'm counting on you!"

Kurisu and I pull away from the group, where they stand waving and carrying on. Ruka even has tears in his eyes. But we pass through the entrance to security, and the Future Gadget Lab vanishes from my sight.

We reach the line and begin to wait, and as we do, Kurisu turns to me.

"You have really great friends." She says softly. "Are you really okay with leaving them behind…?" She pulls a hand through her hair, eyes downcast.

"What do you mean? I'm coming back." I say, unable to process what appears to be grief in her voice. "Besides… this way, I can spend more time with you."

She turns to me, ready to reply, but at that moment we get split up for a moment by the security scan. Tense, I go through the motions until I am cleared to the other side. I grab Kurisu's suitcase before she gets free, and make a motion to hand it back to her.

"Kurisu…" I placing the bag in front of her, "I want to come with you! The other lab mems can take care of themselves. Don't worry about them. Focus on your research!"

She places her hand on mind as I hand her bag back to her, catching me by surprise. I can feel her fingers tighten around mine.

"You're right." She sighs, looking up at me with a refreshed gaze. "We should make the most of it."

We are now barreling towards our terminal, and it kind of all hits me at once.

I'm going to America. With Kurisu. My girlfriend. This is it, this is my life.

We enter a room with huge windows, planes landing and taking off not far beyond it. The whole place glows with natural light as men and woman hustle from place to place. This is the living world, and I'm nothing more than part of it.

"Okabe?" Kurisu has paused in front of me, concern on her face. "Are you coming?"

We face each other, and the lighting in this transient place makes the scene feel scared.

How many times now have we faced each other like this? Trapped in the moment, unable to speak out feelings, separated by fate, yet overflowing with longing.

But this time, I have something I want to say.

"Sorry." I give a weary smile. "It's just…"

I draw closer to her, and everyone and everything else fades away.

"I love you." I say softly.

She steps closer, but does not reply.

She faces me, just like all those other times, the light making her silhouette come alive with fire, just like that one wonderful morning. The gentleness hiding behind those sharp eyes, the tiny curves in her confident posture, the sound of her smooth, confident voice…

Then she grabs my lab coat and leans up, placing a quick kiss on my lips and leaping away just as fast.

"I love you too, idiot." She smiles, grabbing her suitcase again. "Now let's not be late for our plane, alright?"

"Of course." I shake myself out of my trance, suddenly becoming aware of all the people around us.

She just kissed me… in public… I suppose I should feel ashamed, but this feeling is anything but shame.

I follow after her, moving towards the line that's forming in front of our terminal.

This is it.

Suddenly I feel a hand in my right one, where the handle of my suitcase isn't. I lean gently into her shoulder, feeling her heat mingle with mine.

Bathed in a sublime light, we walk together, hand in hand, proud and curious, towards that grand unknown called the "future."

~fin~

Thanks so much for reading!